Record card box for railway equipment



June 8, 1937. 1.. A. ROWE RECORD CARD BOX FOR RAILWAY EQUIPMENT FiledAug. 10, 1936 22' ('3 I l .19 2J- l 5 A I 6l G2 26 27 2 Sheets-Sheet l@6330]: laa/rezace J7 w June 8, 1937. L. A. ROWE RECORD CARD BOX FORRAILWAY EQUIPMENT Filed Aug. 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 8,1937 UNITED STATES asserts PATENT 'OFFIQE RECORD CARD BOX FOR RAILWAYEQUIPMENT Application August 10,

12 Claims.

The present invention relates to record card boxes for railwayequipment, and is particularly concerned with an improved record cardbox which is adapted to be used on transverse floor supports of railwaycars adjacent the ends of such transverse members.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improvedrecord card box which is adapted to provide access to the card in suchposition that some entries may be made on the card while the card iskept in the box, and which is adapted to protect the card against theelements in every respect.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved recordcard box which may be fabricated from a single piece of sheet metal andwhich is so arranged that the cover completely encloses the card holderand protects it against rain, dust, and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved recordcard box which is adapted to be automatically kept in closed positionand which tends to move to closed position when the cover is released sothere is no possibility of leaving the card uncovered.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View in perspective of a record card box constructedaccording to the present invention, with the cover elevated;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, with the cover in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane of the line 33 ofFig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, with the box installed 4on a transverse frame member of the railway car, of which a fragment isshown;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on the plane of the line4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing thedetails 45 of construction of the left end of the box;

Fig. 5 is .a similar View, taken on the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 2,looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the details ofconstruction of the other end of the box;

Fig. 6 is a modification in which the proportions of the supportingflanges 19 have been slightly changed to make room for the support ofthe cover in uppermost position;

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of a modified 55 form of the invention,with the box open;

1936, Serial No. 95,195 1 Fig. 8 is another similar view, with the boxclosed;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 9-4) of Fig.8, looking in. the direction of the arrows; r

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational View of the cover, handle andlatch.

Referring to the drawings, l0 indicates in its entirety the record cardbox, which comprises the base H or card holder, and the cover l2. Thebox is preferably mounted upon a transverse frame member [3 oftherailway car adjacent the end of the car, the frame member being oneof the floor supports of the car. It is preferably so arranged that thehinges are uppermost and the box is at the right corner of each car whenthe operator is facing the end of the car.

The card holder H is preferably constructed of a single piece of sheetmetal which is provided with a substantially rectangular flat bodyportion Ill slightly larger than the recordcards, which are intended tobe housed in the holder.

The body portion M has forwardly projecting flanges I5 and It at the topand bottom arranged at right angles to the body portion [4, and theflanges l5 and I6 carry the downwardly and upwardly extending guideflanges ll and I8, which are parallel to the body portion id, but spacedtherefrom. At each end the body portion l4 has a backwardly extendingsupporting flange l9, carried by the securing flanges 2D, the securingflanges extending parallel to the body portion l4 and being providedwith apertures 2 L.

The card holder may thus be secured to the frame member I3 by bolts orwood screws 22 passing through the apertures 2 I, and by virtue of theflanges IS the body portion l4 of the holder is supported in spacedrelation to the frame member l3 so that any water running down the framemember goes behind the holder l I in the space-23.

The holder l is also preferably provided with a stop member 24, whichmay consist of a small sheet metal member having two flanges at rightangles to each other. The flange 25 projects at right angles to the baseM and is substantially as long as the flanges l5 and iii are wide. Theflange 26 may be welded or otherwise secured to the base M at one end ofthe box. The card, which is inserted from the right end of the holder lI, is thus adapted to engage the flange 25, which determines the finalposition of the card and assures that it will not be projecting to bedamaged by the cover l2 when the cover is pulled down.

Referring to Fig. 3, the cover l2 comprises a substantially rectangularbody portion 21, which is bordered by the four side flanges 28, 29, 30,3|, which preferably form an integral part of the body 21 and are bentat right angles thereto. The end flanges 30, 3| are preferably providedwith the laterally projecting securing flanges 32, which overlap theside flanges 28 and 29 and are secured thereto by riveting, welding, orother convenient fastening means.

The side flange 29 is provide with an aperture 33, which registers witha ssed protuberance 34 formed in the lower flange it of, the holder. Theresiliency of the sides 28-3! is such that the lower flange 29 ma besprung over the protuberance 34 and latched in place whenthe projection34'engages in the aperture 33.

The side flanges 29, 28 are preferably of substantially the samewidth-as the flanges I5, I B, but theend flanges 30, 3| are preferablywider than the flanges I5, l6 so that at the point 35 the end flange 3ioverlaps the flange I9, as shown in Fig. 5. This assures a completeclosure of the ends of the holder and prevents ingress of water or dustat that point.

The cover I2 is pivotally secured to the holder H by two or more sheetmetal hinges 35 which have their plates welded or otherwise secured tothe body [4 of the cardholder and the outside of the upper flange 28 ofthe cover.

The left end flange 30 of the cover preferably supports a looped handle31 comprising a strip of metal bent to partially cylindrical form andprovided with attaching. flanges 38 which are spot-welded, riveted, orotherwise secured to the end flange 30 adjacent its lower end. Thishandle-31 is thus in position to be'engaged by the finger of the lefthand to lift the cover I2, while the operator removes the card or writesupon it with his right hand.

.It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved record cardholder for railway equipment, which maybe constructed at a very lowcost, since it utilizes a minimum number of pieces of metal, and thevarious parts thereof lend themselves readily to stamping operations.

The present card holder is adapted to hold the card in spaced relationto the frame member or wall of the car so that any drainage along thewall does not strike the card holder.

Referring to Fig. 6, in this embodiment of the invention the spacingflanges l9 have been made wide enough so that there is room between thecard holder and the car for the cover I2. In such case, the cover willstayin open position when once it is placed in the position of Fig. 6,which may be an additional advantage in certain emments of the inventionit may be preferred to have the cover so arranged that it will alwaysswing downward and cannot stay open so that there will be no danger ofdamage to the card.

Referring to Figs. '7 to 10, this is a modification embodying additionalfeatures, as follows: In this embodiment the box has been provided witha stop member 24 and 24A at each end of the record box so that the cardwill have to be arched slightly, as shown at dotted lines 40 in Fig. 9,to remove the card. To facilitate this removal, the ends of the flangesl1, It! may also be beveled at 4| to 44 so that the card may be bent outas shown in Fig. 9 to pass either one of the stop members 24' or 24A inremoving the record card. Either embodiment of the invention may beprovided with the improved centrally located handle 45 shown at Fig. 10,which comprisesan arched strip of metal having outwardly projectingflanges 46 welded or riveted to the cover. It may also have an improvedor alternative form of latching member 41 comprising a resilient stripof metal having an outwardly projecting flange 48 which is secured tothe outer wall 21 of the cover l2.

This strip 41 extends downward and backward, lying against the lowerflange 29 of the cover, and it may be provided with a diagonally andupwardly extending portion 49 and a diagonally and downwardly extendingportion 50. The part 49 is adapted to cam the latch 41 downward when thehandle 45 is pulled to the right in Fig. 9, the

. latch sliding over the flange I6 of the record box.

precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself ofall changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what'I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. In a record card holder for railway equipment or the like, a cardholding member comprising a sheet metal frame having a body flangecarried by spacing flanges, securing flanges carried by the spacingflanges adapted to be secured to the railway equipment, with the bodyflange spaced therefrom, guide flanges carried by the body flange spacedsufficiently to receive a card record, and a cover member adapted toenclose said cardrecord when used in conjunction with said body flange,said cover member being hingedly mounted on said body flange andcomprising a sheet metal body provided with integral flanges extendingat right angles thereto and secured to each other at the cornersthereof.

2. In a record card holder for railway equipment or the like, a cardholding member comprising a. sheet metal frame having a body flangecarried by spacing flanges, securing flanges carried by the spacingflanges adapted to be secured to the railway equipment, with the bodyflange spaced therefrom, guide flanges carried by the body flange spacedsufficiently to receive a. card record, and a cover member adapted toenclose said card record when used in conjunction with said body flange,said cover member beinghinged;

ly mounted on said body flange and comprising a sheet metal bodyprovided with integral flanges extending at right angles thereto andsecured to. each other at the corners thereof, the integral flanges ofsaid cover which are disposed at the ends thereof being of greater Widthand adapted to overlap said spacing flanges on said card holder. toeffect a complete closure of the ends of said card holder.

3. In a record card holder for railway equip-' ment or the like, a cardholding member com-. prising a sheet metal frame having a body flangecarried by spacing flanges, securing flanges carried by the spacingflanges adapted to be secured to the railway equipment, with the bodyflange spaced therefrom, guide flanges carried by the body flange spacedsufliciently to receive a card record, and a cover member adapted toenclose said card record when used in conjunction with sai'dbody flange,said cover member being hingedly mounted on said body flange andcomprising a sheet metal body provided with integral flanges extendingat right angles thereto and secured to each other at' the cornersthereof, the integral flangesof said cover which are disposed at'theends thereof being of greater width and adaptedto overlap said spacingflanges on'said card holder to effect a complete closure of the ends ofsaid cardholder, said card holder having a pressed protuberance in oneof its sides opposite to the hinges, and said cover having anaperture'for receiving said protuberance to latch the cover in closedposition.

4. In a record card holder for railway equipment or the like, a cardholding member comprising a sheet metal frame having a body flangecarried by spacing flanges, securing flanges carried by the spacingflanges adapted to be secured to the railway equipment, with the bodyflange spaced therefrom, guide flanges carried by the body flange spacedsufiiciently to receive a card record, and a cover member adapted toenclose said card record when used in conjunction with said body flange,said cover member being hingedly mounted on said body flange andcomprising a sheet metal body provided with integral flanges extendingat right angles thereto and secured to each other at the cornersthereof, the integral flanges of said cover which are disposed at theends thereof being of greater width and adapted to overlap said spacingflanges on said card holder to eifect a complete closure of the ends ofsaid card holder, and a stop member carried by the body flange of saidcard holder and adapted to determine the position of the card in saidcard holder.

5. A record card holder for railway equipment comprising a sheet metalmember formed with a body flange, said body flange carrying at each enda transversely extending spacing flange to space the body from asupport, and each spacing flange carrying an outwardly extendingsecuring flange, forwardly projecting guide flanges carried by the othersides of said body flange, and a pair of guide flanges carried by saidfirst-mentioned guide flanges and extending parallel to said bodyflange, a stop member located between said latter guide flanges on saidbody flange, a cover member comprising a main body of sheet metal ofsubstantially rectangular form and having at its borders enclosingflanges extending at right angles to the body of said cover and adaptedto embrace the guide flanges and spacing flanges of said card holder,said cover being hingedly mounted on said card holder, and latchingmeans for securing said cover in closed position.

6. A record card holder for railway equipment comprising a sheet metalmember formed with a body flange, said body flange carrying at each enda transversely extending spacing flange to space the body from a supportand each spacing flange carrying an outwardly extending securing flange,forwardly projectingv guide flanges carried by the other sides of saidbody flange, and a pair of guide flanges carried by said first-mentionedguide flanges and extending parallel to said body flange, a stop memberlocated between said latter guide flanges'on said body flange, a

cover member comprising a main body of sheet metal of substantiallyrectangular form and having, at its borders, enclosing flanges extendingat right angles to the body of said cover and adapted to embrace theguide flanges and spacing flanges of said card holder, said cover beinghingedly mounted on said card holder, and latching means for securingsaid cover in closed position, said cover having its end-enclosingflanges of greater width than its side enclosing flanges whereby theend-enclosing flanges overlap said spacing flanges.

7. In a record card box, the combination of a record supporting membercomprising a metallic body formed with attaching flanges, forwardlyextending spacing flanges, a body flange, and with guide flanges forguiding a card, stop members for each of the open ends of said recordsupporting member whereby the card must be arched in the box to passeither of the stop mem-,

bers, said guide flanges being cut away at their ends adjacent said stopmembers to facilitate removal of the cards.

8. In a record card box, the combination of a record supporting membercomprising a metallic body formed with attaching flanges, forwardlyextending spacing flanges, a body flange, and with guide flanges forguiding a card, stop members for each of the open ends of said recordsupporting member whereby the card must be arched in the box to passeither of the stop members, said guide flanges being cut away at theirends adjacent said stop members to facilitate removal of the cards, anda cover for closing said record supporting member, said cover extendingdownward over said spacing flanges to effect a complete closure of thesame.

9. A record card holder for railway equipment comprising a card holdingmember having a sheet metal frame with a body flange carried by spacingflanges, securing flanges carried by the spacing flanges and adapted tobe secured to the railway equipment, with the body flange spacedtherefrom, guide flanges carried by said body said body flange, saidspacing flanges being of greater width than the depth of said coverwhereby the cover is adapted to be moved into open position against thecar wall and retained in such position by gravity.

10. In a record card holder for railway equipment or the like, a cardholding member comprising a sheet metal frame having a body flangecarried by spacing flanges, securing flanges carried by'the spacingflanges adapted to be secured to the railway equipment, with the bodyflange spaced therefrom, guide flanges carried by the body flange spacedsufliciently to receive a card record, and a cover member adapted toenclose said card record when used in conjunction with said body flange,said body flange having a stop member located at one end between saidguide flanges to predetermine the position of a card placed in said cardholder.

11. In a record card holder for railway equipment or the like, a cardholding member comprising a sheet metal frame having a body flangecarried by spacing flanges, securing flanges carried by the spacingflanges adapted to be secured to the railway equipment, with the bodyflange spaced therefrom, guide flanges carried by the body flange spacedsufficiently to receive a card record, and a cover member adapted toenclose said card record when used in conjunction with said body flange,said body flange having a stop member located at one end between saidguide flanges to predetermine the position of a card placed in said cardholder, and having a similar stop member at the other end of '10 therailway equipment, with the body flange spaced therefromguide flangescarried body flange spaced sufliciently to receive a card recordyandacover memberadapted to enclose said card record whenused in conjunctionwith said. bodyfiange, said cover member beingot sutficient'depth toenclose open ends of said guide flanges,'and having'extensions on itsend flanges I overlapping said spacing flanges to assure acompleteclosure.

,i LAWRENCE-A. ROWE." 10

